Railway-track cleaner.



F. L. WARNER.

RAILWAY TRACK CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.291l915- 1.,21 1,902. Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES l/VVE/VTOR A TTOR/IEYS Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

F. L. WARNER.

RAILWAY TRACK CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.29| 191s.

WITH/8858 WW F. L. WARNER.

RAILWAY TRACK CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, 1916.

Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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A woe/ms WITNESSES F. L. WARNER.

RAILWAY TRACK CLEANER.

APPLICATION man MAR. 29. 1916.

1,21 1,902., Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

5EBQRATOR OFFICE.

FRANK L. WARNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

RAILWAY-TRACK CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Pat entedJan.9,1917.

Application filed March 29, 1916. Serial No. 87,474.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. WARNER, a citi'zenof theUnited States, and a resident of the city of New York, Rockaway Beach, borough of Queens, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Railway-Track Cleaner, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to roadbed cleaning devices and has particular reference to means for cleaning streets, roadways or the like by pneumatic means.

Among the objects, therefore, of this invention is to provide a machine including one or more mouthpieces adapted to be moved along the surface to be cleaned, and each comprising means to create botha suction and air blast within or beneath such mouthpiece, together with auxiliary agitating means to facilitate the loosening up and delivery of the dirt.

Another object of the invention is to provide a self-contained machine having one or more of the aforesaid mouthpieces and power means for creating a continuous current of air acting upon and through the mouthpieces both as a blast and as suction, means also being provided in the current of air to separate the dust therefrom without stopping the current of air.

-With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the arrangement and combination of parts herein described and claimed, and while the invention is not restricted to the exact details of construction disclosed herein, still for the purpose of illustrating a practical embodiment thereof reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same parts in the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of certain parts of the improvement; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of one of the mouthpieces; Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on the line 44: of Fig. 5 showing a slight modification of mouthpiece; Fig. 5 is a partial plan View, partial horizontal section of the same, the section being on the line 55 of Fig. 4; Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are vertical trans verse sections of other modifications of mouthpieces; Fig. 9 is a diagram in side elevation of the complete apparatus including the air circulating means; Fig. 10 is a plan view of the same having reference particularly to the dust gathering means; and Fig. 11 is a view indicating a preferred form of means for driving the agitator mechanism of the mouthpieces.

eferring now more particularly to the drawlngs for a detail description I show a platform 15 which may be regarded as the bottom of a special car 16 and mounted upon supporting trucks 17 for operation along a roadway or railway track as the case may be. Attached to one end of the platform 15, as by a link or draw bar 18, is a trolley com prising a frame 19 supported upon trucks or wheels 20 for operation track.

Supported upon the frame 19 and preferably between the front and rear wheels 20 is a main separator chamber 21 shown best in Figs. 1 and 2. This chamber. extends lengthwise across the railway track and is so arranged or designed as to receive all of the dust or dirt, wherein the heavier particles are collected and held and from which said heavier particles are adapted to be discharged from end extensions 22 at either side, the same being held normally closed by trap doors 23 under the force of springs 24 or the like. I

At 25 is shown a hand lever within reach of the operator presumed to be stationed upon a platform 26, the lever being fulcrumed on pivot 27. A pair of rods 28 extend from the lever 25 on opposite sides of the pivot 27 to a pair of cranks 29 extending upwardly from the trap doors 23, where by, when the lever is operated around its pivot, both of the doors will be opened against the force of the springs 24 tending to keep them closed.

One of the main features of this improvement lies in what I term a mouthpiece of peculiar construction. One form of this mouthpiece is shown in detail in Fig. 3, and other forms thereof are shown in Figs. 4 to 8. In all forms of the mouthpiece illustrated provision is made in the nature of a receptacle having an open bottom with facilities for introducing into the receptacle at or above the open mouth or bottom, a blast of air for agitating or otherwise loosening the dirt or other impurities from the upon the same roadway and also there being provided air suction connections leading from the same cavity or receptacle.

'In Fig. 3 I show a mouthpiece 30 comprising a shell or body 31 having an open mouth or bottom 32, the longer axis of which is transverse to the line of movement of the trolley or supporting means for the mouthpiece. Adjacent the rear portion of the body 31 is a. nipple 33 to which an air blast tube 34 is connected, and the body adjacent said nipple is provided with a fanshaped blast chamber 35 having a wide extent longitudinally of the entire body, as in dicated in Fig. 5. The outlet from this chamber 35 comprises a plurality of restricted openings 36 through which the blast from the chamber 35 is directed downwardly close to the surface of the roadway and within the open bottom of the mouthpiece. Since the chamber 35 is spread out fan-shaped in both directions laterally from the nipple 33, it is preferable for the jets 36 adjacent the center to be much more restricted than those toward the ends, whereby a proper proportion of the air blast will be exerted throughout all portions of the blast nozzle. On the opposite side or front portion of the body 31 is provided a suction chamber 37 of a more open nature than the blast mechanism and leading through a nipple 38 from which a suction pipe 39 leads to the aforesaid separator 21.

Within the mouthpiece between the blast and suction connections is shown a rotary agitator or beater 40 which may be operated by the blast suction or by other positive means in connection with such forces. This agitator comprises a cylinder having outwardly projecting fingers or blades 41 and is provided with end gudgeons journaled in arms 42 connected to a rock shaft 43 and from which rock shaft a bell crank lever 44 projects and through which the elevation of .the agitator may be controlled by a rod 45 leading upwardly to any suitable controlling lever (not shown).

" The mouthpiece as a whole is suspended from an overhead hanger 46 pivotally connected to the top of the mouthpiece 47. The front end of the hanger 46 is pivoted upon a pivot rod or shaft 48 journaled transversely in the front portion of the frame 19 directly above the front wheels 20. Each hanger is shown in the nature of an elbow member and to the angle of which is connected a rod 49 surrounded by a pair of coil springs 50 between which one arm of the bell crank 51 is placed, said bell crank arm having free movement upon the rod 49 except for the force of the springs whose opposite ends are abutting against adjustable nuts 52. The other arm of the bell crank 51 is connected to a hand operated bar within reach of the operator on the platform 26. Ordinarily each mouthpiece is adapted to glide upon or close to the surface being cleaned. The elevation, however, may be controlled more or less resiliently or positivel by the adjustment of the bar and bell cran i, but when it is to be thrown up well out of contact with the roadway, a chain 54 extending downwardly from the extreme front end of the bell crank 51 to the hanger 46 will so operate. Each month iece is preferably provided with a renewab e plate 55 of wear-resisting properties which has direct contact with the roadway.

Mounted upon the platform 15 are any suitable power devices for manipulating the current of air and dust (by the term dust will be understood to mean any particles of dirt or the like to be cleaned from the roadway and disposed of).

At 56 is shown a vacuum pump communicating through a pipe 57 with a dust separator 58 having a wind trunk 59 leading from the top of the gravity separator 21. The air by this time purified from all of the heavy particles of dust, the main volume thereof in the separators 21 and 58 is forced forwardly through a pipe 60 either through a final separator 61 or to and through a compression pump 62 and thence back through a pipe 63 conveying the blast through the several blast pipes 34 leading to the several mouthpieces 30. Any suitably arranged valves 64 may be provided in the air pipes to control the action of air therethrough. If the blast from the pipe 60 goes through the final separator to be discharged through an exit pipe 65, the valve leading to the compression pump may be closed, or these valves may be so manipulated as to direct all of the blast from the vacuum pump to the compression chamber. The separator 61 comprises a main and auxiliary chamber, communication between which is had through a screen 66, and this separator is filled or partially filled with water which lies in both chambers. A pump 67 is arranged to draw water from the auxiliary chamber through a screen 68, and this water is conveyed upwardly and is sprayed forwardly from a pipe 69 directly into the blast of air leading to the main chamber of the separator. Any finer particles of dust still contained in the air will thus be precipitated into the bottom of the main chamber of the separator in front of the screen 66, and the air thus freed from the dust will be exhausted through the pipe 65. Ordinarily, however, a large portion or all of the blast of air from the vacuum pump will be kept in continuous circulation through the compression pump 62, whereby the machine is rendered highly efficient with respect to the amount of power required for operating it.

The means disclosed herein for effecting a substantially continuous circulation of air through the separators and blast devices is not claimed herein broadly, but is claimed 111 my co-pending application for track and street cleaner, filed September 7, 1915, Serial N 0. 49,379 and allowed November 27, 1915.

The pipes 59 and 63 may each be provided with a valve to control the action of an therethrough. The valve 70 in the blast' pipe. 63 is shown provided with a bar 71 through which the valve may be manlpulated from the platform 26.

While under certain conditions I may use only one of the mouthpieces for the cleaning of floors, walls or other surfaces, for use as a railway track cleaner I prefer to employ a plurality of these mouthpieces as indicated in Figs. 1 and 10, there being six thereof indicated, three in each of two series, one series in front of the other and arranged to break joints. From what has been already stated, it will be understood, therefore, that each of the mouthpieces Wlll. have its own independent controlling bar 53 and its inlet and outlet pipes. All of the blast or inlet pipes 34 for the different mouthpieces are branched from the s ngle blast pipe 63, and all of the suction pipes 39 are indicated as leading severally into the gra-vity separator 21. The agitator 40, as already intimated, may be rotated either in part or as a whole by the force of the blast and suction acting upon the fingers or blades 41. As a means, however, for driving the same positively, I show gearing connected to the agitators and operated from the front wheels 20 in any suitable manner. This gearing may take the form indicated as 1ncluding a friction wheel 7 2 in direct contact with the periphery of one of the wheels 20, the friction wheel being journaled for rotation around the axis of the shaft 48. A gear or pulley 73 connected with the friction wheel 7 2 operates a double gear 74 j ournaled upon the axle 75 above the mouthpiece to a belt 7 6. Another belt 77 leads around a wheel 78 mounted upon the aXle of the agitator 40. By this type of gearing the agitator will be rotated with its active blade moving forwardly, and the rotation of the aigltator will be independent of any partic a elevation thereof around the pivot shaft 48. Obviously the action of the friction wheel 72 upon the wheel 20 may be varied as may be required through adjustment means 79.

' In Fig. 6 the mouthpiece 30 is of a form having a substantially shallow cavity or where the blast is so convenient to the proximity of the surface as to act forcibly upon the dust in loosening the same and driving it toward the intake of the suction pipe.

The mouthpiece 30 of Fig. 7 is also of a shallow form but has a transverse rib 8O projecting across the same just in the rear of the suction intake so as to provide a restricted intake opening.

In Fig. 8 I show a mouthpiece 30 having a central chamber between the blast and suction openings of suflicient capacity to house an agitator comprising a plurality of spring teeth 81 connected to a rock shaft 82 and the efiect. of the spring teeth may be varied up or down by means of an adjustment rod 45 connected to a bell crank 44.

I claim 1. The combination of a portable platform, pneumatic power devices thereon, a dust-gathering mouthpiece carried adjacent I the platform along and over the surface to be cleaned, said mouthpiece having an open mouth directly over the surface being treated and extending transversely of the line of movement of the machine, means leading from the power devices to one side of the mouthpiece and serving to deliver a blast of air through the body of the mouthpiece into the hollow interior thereof along one side, said body having an outlet opening formed along the opposite side thereof, and a suction plpe leading from the last mentioned opening to the other side of the power devices from the blast means, whereby a practically continuous current of air may be operated within and across the opening in the mouthpiece.

2. The herein described pneumatic cleaning apparatus comprising a platform, a trolley connected to the platform, a dust collect ing mouthpiece carried by the trolley, said mouthpiece having an open center, a blast pipe leading from the power devices on the platform to convey a blast of air directly into the central opening of the mouthpiece, a gravity separator for heavy particles carried by the trolley, an air suction pipe leading from the interior of the mouthpiece to the separator, a pipe leading from the separator to the power means continuing the circulation of the air and conveying therewith the lighter particles of dust, and other separating means on the platform to deliver said lighter particles of dust from the air prior to the return of the air to the mouth piece.

3. The herein described pneumatic cleaning apparatus, the same comprising, in combination, portable supporting means, a mouthpiece carried by the supporting means and having an open face movable closely adjacent the surface to be cleaned, independent blast and suction pipes leading re spectively into and 'outof the open center of the mouthpiece through the body thereof remote from the surface to be cleaned, power means on the supporting means to complete the connection between the blast and suction pipes to provide for a continuous circulation of air, and means located Within the current of air thus caused to circulate to separate the dust from the air.

4. In a pneumatic cleaning machine, the combination of supporting means, movable along the surface to be cleaned, a dustgathering mouthpiece having a hollow interior with an opening directly adjacent the surface to be cleaned, pneumatic power devices on the supporting means, independent blast and suction pipes leading to and from the hollow interior of the mouthpiece through openings formed in the body thereof on opposite sides of the mouthpiece whereby a blast of air is delivered directly into the opening and toward the surface to be cleaned and the air is conveyed therefrom carrying with it the dust, and independent separators for the heavier and lighter particles of dust located in the path of circulation of the air.

5. In a pneumatic cleaning machine, the combination of portable supporting means, a plurality of independently actuated mouthpieces movable with the supporting means along the surface to be cleaned, pneumatic power devices on the supporting means, a main blast pipe leading from the power devices toward the mouthpieces, a series of branch blast pipes leading from the main blast pipe to the several mouthpieces, a main suction pipe leading to the power devices, branch suction pipes leading from the several mouthpieces to the main suction pipe, and means to separate and hold the dust from the air caused to move through the blast pipes, mouthpieces and suction v pipes.

with, a plurality of independently controllable mouthpieces carried by the trolley, pneumatic power devices mounted upon the platform, means to convey a blast of air from the power devices to the several mouthpieces, the air being delivered through the bodies of the mouthpieces toward the surface to be cleaned, suction means to convey the dust-laden air from the mouthpieces toward the power devices, and means to'separate the dust from the air and retain the dust after the air is caused to circulate through the blast means, the mouthpieces and the suction means.

7. In a pneumatic cleaning apparatus, the combination with a plurality of independently controllable mouthpieces each com prising a hollow body having an opening directly adjacent the surface to be cleaned, flexible blast pipes leading into the several bodies of the mouthpieces and serving to direct the blasts of air downwardly toward the surface to be cleaned and within the hollow interior of the mouthpieces, flexible suction pipes leading from the hollow interior of the mouthpieces, and pneumatic air circulating power devices common to all of said mouthpieces and pipe connections aforesaid.

FRANK L. \VARNER.

Witnesses:

GEO. L. BEELER, PHILIP D. ROLLI-IAUS. 

